shepaed



(No Model.)

B. R. SHEPARD.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE AND FASTENER.

No. 825,020. Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

INVENTOB,

ATTORNEYS.

UlTE

STATES ROBERT R. SHEPARD, OF NElV YORK, 1T. Y.

METALLIC RAlLWAY-TIE AND FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION 32 Application tiled Julie 15, lr rfi.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, ROBERT P. SHEPARD, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MetallicRailway Ties and Fastenings, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention more particularly relates to rail-tastenings forrailway-rails in which nietallic ties having fastenings that receive andlap over the flanges of the rails are used.

The invention consists in a novel construction ofthe tie and of therail-fastenings applied thereto,substantiall y as hereinafter described,and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a metal lie railway-tie in part andrail-fastenings ap plied thereto, embodying my invention, and with aportion of a rail in its place on the tie. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the same on the line :0 00, Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a section thereof in parton the line 1 3 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 an inverted view of one of therail-fastenings.

A indicates the metallic tie, which may be made of wrought iron, and isof a hollow or inverted trough-like construction. Bis the rail, whichmay be of ordinary T form.

Upon the upper surface of the tie, at suitable distances apart indirection of the length of the tie to receive the base-flanges b b ofthe rail in between them, and arranged out of line with each other 011opposite sides of the rail in direction of the width of the tie, areraised lips c c, struck up from beneath the tie so as to form integralportions of the tie and serving to guide the rail to its place and torestrain it from moving laterally.

Opposite the lips 0 0,011 opposite sides of the rail to said lips,keyhole-shaped apertures CC are niadein and through the upper plateportion of the tie in close proximity to the baseilanges of the rail 11,indicating the circular or shank-receiving portion of each of saidkeyhole openings, and c the bit-receiving portion thereof, preferablyrunning in direction of the length ot' the rail.

1g part of Letters Patent No. 325,020, dated August 25,1885.

(Xo model.)

Fitted to engage with each of these key-holeshapedapertures G is adetachable locking key or button, 1), that serves,when suitably turnedfor the purpose, to hold the rail down to its place on the tie by itslateral head f lapping over and bearing down on the base-flange 01' therail. Said detachable button-fastening is 0011- structed with a flange,g, at the base ofits lateral head f, which flange covers thekey-holeshaped aperture 0 in the tie, and so forms a closing-guard tosaid aperture,excluding dirt, &c., as well as forming a working base fordrawing the head f down on the base-flange of the rail and locking orholding the fastening in such position as will be hereinafter described.The shank h of the button is constructed to pass through and turn in theportion (I of the aperture 0, and has on it a lower laterally-projectingpiece or bit, 1 of a size that will admit of it passing through theportion 0 of the aperture 0. Thus the lower portion of thebutton-fastening D is entered like a key in and through the aperture 0,and afterward turned to bring its lateral head f down on the base-flangeof the rail, and its bit orlower nose'piece, 2, under the plate por tionof the tie A, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

To make the button draw the rail down on the tie, and to lock or firmlyhold said button in such position so that it cannot be accidentallydetached or without peculiarly manipulating it and applying considerableforce to bring its bit tin matching and releasing position with theportion 0 of the aperture 0, the under side of the flange g of thebutton has a facing piece or projection, 75, on it at the side of theshank and at right angles, or approximately so, out of line with thebitz' of the but ton. This under surface projection, k, corresponds inshape, or nearly so, with the portion 0 of the aperture G in the tie,and it may be beveled 011 its edges to facilitate its riding over theupper surface of the plate portion of the tie when the button issuitably turned for the purpose.

The button-fiistenings are applied, as described, by entering their hits2 down through the apertures (l in the tie, and then said buttons turnedto bring their heads f over the lmse-iiunges oi the rail. In thusturning the button the under face projections, it, ride over the uppersurface of the tie, and the bits 7; under the lower surfacethereof,drawing the rail close down on the tie until the headsf of thebuttons reach their required overlapping positions on the base-flangesof the rails, when the projections 70 on the button will arrive over theportions e of the apertures O, and the buttons, by the tension beingthus taken off the tie, will cause the projections 76 to spring or snapinto engagement with the portions 6 of the apertures C, and so lock orhold the buttons from being turned from their holdingdown positions onthe rail. \Vhen required to release the buttons, however, from theirhold on the rails, this may be done by first prying up on the buttons todisengage the projections 70, and then turning the buttons 7 into theirdetaching positions from the tie and from their overlapping positions onthe rail. In this way a secure locked hold is obtained for thefastenings on the raiLWith facility for releasing them when required totake out the rail.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The eombination,with the metal tie, having raisedlips c, of button-fastenings arranged to receive and hold the railsbetween them and the lips on opposite sides of the rail, essentially asdescribed. v

2. In a button-fastening for railway-rails, the button D,eonstructedwith a lateral head, f, flange g, shank h, lower bit, 2', and a lockingprojection or facing, 70, on the under side of the flange and out ofline with the bit of the button, substantially as specified.

3. The combination,with the metal tiehaving key-hole-shaped apertures C,of the buttons D, having lower bits, 6, and upper looking projections,7:, arranged out of line with the bits and constructed to engage withthe bit-receiving portions of the apertures O in the tie, essentiallyasdescribed.

4. The combination of the rail B, the metal tie A, having keyhole-shapedapertures Con one side of the rail. and lips c on the opposite sidethereof, and the locking-buttons D, constructed to engage with anddisengage from said apertures in the tie, substantially as speeifled.

ROBERT R. SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

G. SEnGwIcK, E. M. CLARK.

